May 14, 2026
Yom Yerushalayim | Psalm 122 - "I rejoiced when they said to me" by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom
What is the message of Psalm 122, strongly associated with the upcoming celebration of יום ירושלים?
59 years ago, on the momentous and miraculous occasion of the raising of the Israeli flag over Har haBayit, the first...
Mar 26, 2026
Pesach | Miriam's Vital Role in the Redemption, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom
Miriam is a somewhat difficult character to follow in the text; she is first presented anonymously, watching over her baby brother until he is safely brought back home to be nursed by their mother, then appears as the "prophetess, sister of Aharon"...
Feb 18, 2026
Megillat Esther | Esther's Brilliant Plan, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom
Why do we need to hear so many details of the Persian court in Esther 1 and 2 - when the plot only begins in chapter 3?
The first two chapters of Esther seem superfluous to the critical part of the plot - the decree to kill Mordekhai's nation and the...
Dec 31, 2025
Thoughts for Asara B'Tevet 5786, by Rav Moshe Taragin
Was the Translation of Torah Tragic? Was the Holocaust a Historical Shift? When the Narrative Changes. Preserving Halakha and Masorah. The Dangers of Hyper-Preservationism in Charedi Culture
Dec 17, 2025
Mitzvat Chanuka | A Fresh Look at the "Beraitot" of Chanuka, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom
Why is "Sugyat Chanuka" the only place in the Bavli where a Mitzva is presented with a tiered system of fulfillment? (BT Shabbat 21b)
Most students are familiar with the Beraitot defining the Mitzvah of Ner Chanuka, found near the...